Laundry starch and method of manufacturing same



Patented Jan. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOWELL O. GILL, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO. A. E. STALEY MANU'IACTUB ING COMPANY, 01 DECATUR, ILLINOIS, A-GOBPOBATION Q1! DELAWARE.

Ho Drawing.

This invention relates to the manufacture of starch for laundry purposes and has for one of its objects the production of a thin boiling starch which will remain fluid after 5 boiling and cooling to normal temperature.

Another object is to provide an improved method of manufacturing laundry starch.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention is exemplified in the starch composition and the steps of the process described in the following specification, and it is more specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In modern laund practice it is desirable to use on such wo rli as collars, cuffs, and other articles of clothing a starch that will when boiled to a paste with water have the roperty of penetration even after the stare has cooled and which will im art flexibility to the starched article and w ich will resist perspiration, give the proper finish, and have other desirable quahties for laundry starch.

To secure these properties the starch should not congeal after it has been boiled in amounts ranging from to 12 ounces per gallon of water and allowed to cool to normal temperature. Ordinary corn-starch congeals after it has been boiled, but the present invention produces from corn starch a laundry starch which has the desired properties named above.

In carrying out the present invention two starches are first prepared by: the usual '35 method of producing what is known in the trade as thln boiling starch. In the treatment of corn starch to produce thin boiling starch the corn starch ismixed with water at approximately 125 C. to which is added 1 40 a small amount of sulphuric acid and the mixture is agitated for various lengths of time,.depending on the degree of fluidity or viscosity that is desired in the finished starch when it* is boiled with water. After the starch has been-treated in this way' for the re uired length of time the mixture is neutra ized with soda ash and the usual process is to then filter and dry the starch. To this point the present method follows the well-known procedure of producing thin boilin starch.

ing to the present invention, two thin boiling starches are first produced by the usual In: e process of producing starch accord-e LAUNDRY BTABCH AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME.

Application filed April 25, 1923. Serial No. 684,886.

method just outlined above. One of these starches is suificientl modified to produce a starch of medium fluidity while the other starch employed has a relatively high fluidity. In practice, satisfactory results can be secured by employing starches having a fluidity of 40 and 90 respectivelywhen tested according to the method by which the fluidity of the starch is compared with thatof water. In making the fluidit test, advantage is taken of the fact th treated with a moderately strong alkali solution of sodium hydrate thickens and has somewhat the consistency of starch paste. The sodium hydrate solution breaks up the starch cells in a: manner similar to that produced by boilin with Water. The extent to which astarch as been modified to render it thin boiling is determined by treating a known amount of starch with a given amount of 1% of sodium hydrate free from in a piece of filter paper and dried for two ours.

added to 10 cc. distilled water and thorough-' ly mixed after which 90 cc. of 1%sodiumhydrate solution at 75 F. is added and 4.5 grams of starch thus dried is stirred gently for three minutes, keeping the temperature at 7 5 F. The starch solution is then placed in a funnel having a capillary tube outlet and means for controlling the opening of the tube. The tube is reviously calibrated to determine the lengt of time at starch required for cc. of water to run out at 75 F. The number of cc. of the starch solution that will pass through the tube in i the same period of. time gives the fluidity of the solution. For instance, if 100 cc. of water at 75 F. passes through the tube in fifty-five seconds and "if 4000. of the starch solution passes through the tube in the same time then the starch is said to have a fluidity of 40.

preparing a starchaccording to the resent invention, equal quantities of starch aving fluidities of 46 and 90 res ctively as tested by the method outlined a ove. are

i mixed-together after neutralizing the acid ity, and before they are filter pressed. After they have been thoroughly mixedin the wet state the blended starch is washed through.

silk bolting cloth and filter pressed. The

I. filtered starch is again mixed with fresh good dextrinized starch may be used in place of the corn dextrine. After adding the dex trine to the mixture a waxpreparation is f added to the amountv of 3% of the weight of the starch in the mixture. This wax preparation is made by mixing 23 parts of Japan waxand 10 parts of stearic acid, the two being melted together andemulsified by slowly adding while stirring a solution of 8 parts of borax'in 59 parts of water, The

. wax mixture is then heated to 160 F. to

thoroughly emulsify the mixture, after which it is cooled to normal temperature.

It is then added to the starch and dextrine mixture. It is not necessary to add the dextrine' and wax preparation in the exact manner outlined as any suitable method of mixing may be employed, such 'as mixing the wax and dextrine together and adding the two ingredients to the starch after they have been intermixed, or, the wax and dextrine may be mixed together and added to: the blended starch after the' starch is dried.'

After the ingredients have been thoroughly mixed the conglomerate is filtered and dried. The drying may be either a quick or 'slow dryingroeess producing a granular form in the case or a crystal form-in the latter case.

I claim 1. A'laundry starch comprising a mixture of two starches which have been modified to produce difierent degrees of fluidity but neither of which has been entirely converted.

'2. A laundry starch comprising .amlxture of two starches, one of which has been modified to have a fluidity of approximately 40, and the other of which hasbeen modified to have a.fluidity of approximately 90, regarding the fluidity of water as 100.

3. A laundry starch comprising a mixture of approximately equal parts of corn starch,

one part having been modified to a'fluidi v' substantially of approximately 40', and the other to a fluidity of approximately 9.0 as compared to the fluidit of waterre ed as 100.

4. A laun ry starch comprising a mixture of starches modified to v the d of fluidity but neither of whic has been completel converted, to which mixture dextrine is ad ed.

5. A laundry starch comprising approximately ual parts,of corn starches modified to have uidities of approximately 40 and 90 respectively, to which mixture is added dextrine to the amount of approximately 5% of the weight of the dry starch.

r 6. A laun 'starchtowhich isadded a wax prepar tion, comprising Japan wax and stearic acid and rax.

7 A laundry starch comprismgetwo parts of modified corn starch, one part ing modified to a viscosity of approximately 10,and-

the mixture dextrine and a wax preparation,-

the wax preparation comprising Japan wax,

stearic acid and borax.

8. A- laundry starch com nsmg' .snbaantially equal parts of modifiedcorn starchone part being modified to a viscosity of approximately 40, and the other part being modified to a viscosity of approximately 90, there being added .to the mixture dextrine to the amount of approximately 5% of the weight of the dry starch in the mixture and a wax preparation amounting to approximately 3% of the weight of the dry starch, the wax preparation comprising approximately 23 parts Japan wax, 10 stearic acid melted together and emu ed in a solution of approximately 8 parts of borax 59 parts water.

9. The method of preparing laundry starch comprising the steps of separateldvl modifying two parts of corn starch wi sulphuric acid, one part being modified to a fluid ty of approximately 40 and the other to a fluidity of approximately 90, and mixing substantially pafitis age: the aci has been neutrahzedh procms o preparing un starch, comfgfizgthe of. modifying two parts 0 with phuric acid, neutralizing the acid with soda ash after one of the parts has been modified toincreaae it! ititt if fii fi a 41 p uce t1v y nir' n parts of to the dextrine preparation. 11. The method of pro starch, comprising the blending 0 two modified starches having different degrees of flu idity, and adding to the mixture dextrine ual starches, and a d ding and a wax and -a preparation of Japan acid ual..portions of the two I starch comprising the steps of mixing equal Tit) arts of modified corn starch, one part havm -a fluidity of approximately 40, and the cot er a fluidity of approximately 90, adding to the mixture dextrme to the amount of approximately 5% of the'dry starch and a wax' preparation to the amount of approximately 3% of the dr starch, the wax preparation comprising a an wax, emulsified with stearic acid an borax.-

13. The method of. preparing laundry starch wherein two portions of corn starc are modified with sulphuric acid and neutralized with soda ash to produce a fluidity of approximately 40 in one portion, and approximately 90 in the other portion, egual parts of the modified being mixed a gravit of approximately 22 to 23 on a Baum y'drometer scale, towhich mixture is added dextrine approximately amount of 5% of the weight 0 the dry tothe starch and a wax preparation to the amount of approximately 73% of the weight of the dry-starch, the wax preparation comprising emulsified Japan wax with stearic acid an borax', the entire conglomerate being filtered from the waterand dried.-

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 21st day of April, A. D. 1923.

LOWELLO. v 

